Two elderly individuals, Tony and Phyllis Gilbert, aged 83, tragically took their own lives at their residence in Kenmare, Co Kerry in November 2021. The couple, who had signed their wills just days before their death, were found deceased by their daughter-in-law, Beryl Gilbert, who came across a note on the front door indicating their intentions. Mrs. Gilbert, who was battling stage four pancreatic cancer, and her husband ingested a poisonous substance, as confirmed by a post-mortem examination.
The note left by the Gilberts stated, “All going to plan we should be dead,” with instructions to contact the authorities, including the location of a spare key. Upon police entry, the bodies of the couple were discovered in separate beds with no signs of physical harm. Recordings of the couple’s voices were found, where Mr. Gilbert expressed their desire to be together in life and in their final rest.
Their granddaughter, Felicity Gilbert, described the couple as extremely close and revealed that they had become increasingly isolated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Gilberts had consulted a solicitor in October 2021 to execute their wills, emphasizing their desire to plan for the future despite Mrs. Gilbert’s health condition.
Post-mortem examinations confirmed the cause of death as poisoning, with the toxicology results supporting this conclusion. Dr. Linda Mulligan, the Chief State Pathologist, noted the rapidity of their passing and Mrs. Gilbert’s advanced cancer stage. The coroner ruled their deaths as suicides, highlighting the premeditated nature of their actions, making it a distressing case.
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